Make Me Yours(45)

Her lips press into a line. “How is it you don’t have a date? You’re easy to talk to, funny, and smart.”

“I don’t know. I guess I’ve been too focused on my work, on Lillie.”

What I don’t say is no one interested me before I met her. I don’t want to go back to that lonely existence. At the same time, I’m not interested in meeting someone new. I only want to be with her. She completes a part of me I didn’t know had been yearning for completion. She loves my daughter, she fills my house with light… She’s kind of perfect.

“Look, Daddy! Ruby, he made me a colorful unicorn!” Lillie comes running back to us waving a white, lavender, pink, and yellow balloon horse over her head.

Ruby squats down to greet her, admiring the latex creation. “That’s amazing! Did he make it just for you?”

Lillie nods dramatically, and Ruby tweaks her nose before standing and taking her hand. She catches my gaze and does a little chin lift. “I’ll think about it and let you know.”

“Let me know tonight.”





19





Ruby


Lillie’s in her bedroom playing with her dolls, and I scoop up my phone tapping out a quick text. Help. Need help. Emergency. 911!

The gray bubble floats a second before Drew’s reply appears. OMG! Are you okay? Did you crash the car?

I’m already tapping out my reply. Remi asked me to go to NYC with him. Overnight. Penthouse. 4 Seasons!!!

More gray dots. I’m chewing my lip like crazy. My heart is beating out of my chest, and all I can think about is me in a formal gown, Remi in a tux, dancing at a ball at the Four Seasons Hotel… It’s straight out of a Disney movie.

Are you at the hospital? Are you bleeding? Don’t text 911 unless you’re injured. You almost made me go into labor.

I exhale a little growl. You can’t go into labor at six weeks. Would you focus please? He wants me to give him an answer tonight. I can’t… can I?

Drew is taking too long to reply. I stand and pace my room, looking out the French doors down at the lake. My stomach is in knots. After last night, I’m not sure what will happen if we’re alone together again. As much as my brain says I can make it one short month, my body is on overdrive when we’re together.

Today at the park was a prime example. He knew what he was doing, licking that cone and watching me with those eyes. My panties almost melted right off. Sitting here now, I can’t even remember what Henry said to me.

Drew’s text finally appears, and it’s one word. Go.

All that, and just one word? I tap back quickly. Everyone will know. Everyone will be talking.

She replies just as fast. You only live once. And everybody’s already talking. Go.

“Ruby!” Lillie’s voice cuts through my mental meltdown. She prances in the room holding her pink Lottie doll. “Gigi says it’s time to eat dinner.”

Tapping quickly, I say goodbye with a reminder. The shower is Saturday noon at my mom’s. Can you make it?

Yep. Can’t wait to hear the latest hot nanny gossip.

Good grief. She’s teasing, but who knew when I said yes to this job it was going to turn into some kind of twisted soap opera? More like one of those telenovelas.

“Let’s go then.” I take Lillie’s hand and square my shoulders.

I feel like I’m heading into battle.



“Grass-fed buffalo filet, flown in from Montana just for you, ma’am.” The female server, who I now know is named Tessa, puts plates in front of us, and Jake, her helper, slices Lillie’s as usual.

“It wasn’t for me.” Eleanor pretends to be appalled. “This steak is for Mr. Key. He loves a good ribeye, and it’s been weeks since we’ve had red meat.”

She motions to Tessa, who disappears into the kitchen again.

Lillie pokes a slice with her fork then looks up with wide eyes. “It’s bleeding.”

Eleanor is unaffected by her granddaughter’s horror. “Your meat is cooked medium rare, Lillian. Take one bite. It’s the perfect cut prepared the perfect way. Don’t you think, Remington?”

Remi quickly cuts a piece and puts it in his mouth. “It’s delicious. Thanks, Eleanor.”

“Is that all you have to say?” She laughs, and puts her hand on her chest. “I’ll have to import Kobe beef to impress you next time.”

I watch as Lillie pushes her meat into a pile on the side of her plate before dipping a scoop of whipped mashed potatoes with her fork. I’d be worried about her being hungry, but she had a good lunch at Ma’s and a late snack today.

I take a bite of buffalo, and it’s pretty darn good. “You know, I read they massage those Kobe cows with Sake and give them beer to make them eat. It sounds great, but some say it’s inhumane.”

“I guess you would know.” Eleanor doesn’t even look at me before taking a sip of wine.

“How would Ruby know?” Remi’s voice has an edge in it. It makes me uncomfortable, and I don’t know why I decided to share that tidbit of knowledge.

“Oh, Asians know Asian practices—”

“Ruby’s American.” The way he says it fills me with a weird mixture of pride and defensiveness.

I’m not ashamed of my heritage, at the same time, Kobe beef comes from Japanese Black cattle. Once again with feeling, I’m not Japanese.